Sen. Rich Draheim

Maddy summarySF 2112 appropriates $1 million for fiscal year 2026 and $1 million for fiscal year 2027 to fund the Minnesota Technology Association's SciTech internship program. The program provides paid STEM internships for college students (including two-year, four-year, and graduate students) at small Minnesota companies (fewer than 250 employees worldwide), with the grant covering 50% of intern wages (capped at $3,000 per intern). It specifically aims to increase participation from women and other underserved populations in these internships. This is a one-time funding appropriation for a program supporting student career opportunities in technology fields.

Maddy summarySF 2110 expands Minnesota's list of inmates ineligible for earned incentive release credit under the Rehabilitation and Reinvestment Act. It adds specific serious offenses to the exclusion list, including crimes resulting in death, certain sexual offenses involving minors, child exploitation, violent crimes with weapons, and crimes carrying mandatory minimum sentences. This directly affects inmates serving sentences for these offenses who would otherwise qualify for early release through the program. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes sections 244.45 and 244.46 to implement these changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 60-day deadline for Minnesota government agencies to approve or deny building permit applications, zoning changes, or related requests (like septic system reviews). If an agency doesn’t act within 60 days, the request is automatically approved - except for building permits, where delays require refunding all fees within 5 business days. Agencies must provide written reasons for denials, with specific rules for multi-member bodies to state reasons on record. It directly affects property owners, developers, and local governments by standardizing review timelines and increasing transparency. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes section 15.99 to create these procedures.

Maddy summaryMinnesota Senate File 1974 (ESA-4-MSA) establishes Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) for eligible Minnesota students. It provides state-funded accounts to parents of students from households earning up to four times the income threshold for reduced-price school meals, allowing funds to cover qualifying expenses like tuition at eligible schools, tutoring, curriculum materials, and approved educational services. The program limits participation to 5% of public school enrollment in its first year, increasing by 3% annually, with priority given to kindergarten students, those who attended public school full-time, and siblings already in the program. Funds cannot cover home instruction time or after-school child care, and accounts are managed by the Department of Revenue.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Minnesota's requirements for municipal fee reporting and building permit fee calculations. It raises the threshold for municipalities to report construction-related fees from $5,000 to $7,000 annually, affecting cities that collect fees from developers and builders. Additionally, it requires the Commissioner of Labor and Industry to establish a cost-per-square-foot valuation method for specific property types (like single-family homes and townhouses) to help municipalities set building permit fees. The changes apply directly to local governments and the development industry, with no new fees or taxes created.

Maddy summaryMinnesota Senate File 1991 modifies rules for how cities can require land dedication or cash payments for parks and open space in new residential subdivisions. It allows municipalities to accept cash fees (based on land value) instead of physical land, with funds restricted to acquiring or developing parks/trails - **not** ongoing maintenance - and must stay within 10% of the subdivision's total value. Developers creating new lots must pay these fees, while cities must track and publicly report fund use. The bill also exempts resubdivided properties with unchanged lot counts from new requirements.

Maddy summarySF 1990 requires Minnesota legislators to disclose financial ties to entities seeking state funding through a specific bill. If a legislator or their family member receives compensation (like salary or payments) from such an entity, they must report it within five days of the bill's introduction, before any committee action. The bill also prohibits legislative staff (including designated roles like the Senate secretary or House chief clerk) from accepting compensation from entities requesting state funding via a bill authored by a legislator or through state grant processes. These requirements apply alongside existing conflict-of-interest rules and aim to increase transparency around financial relationships affecting legislative decisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $12.5 million from the state general fund for the Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota, a nonprofit organization in Mankato. The funds are specifically for capital improvements including a new building expansion, renovation of existing exhibits, and an outdoor nature play space. The one-time appropriation is available until the project is completed or abandoned, covering predesign, construction, and equipment costs for fiscal year 2026. The museum directly receives the grant to advance these physical upgrades.

Maddy summaryMinnesota Senate File 57 requires state interagency groups that make recommendations on public permitting decisions to hold their meetings openly to the public. This bill amends Minnesota Statutes to explicitly include these interagency groups under existing open meeting requirements for state agencies, boards, and commissions. Key provisions mandate that such meetings must be accessible to the public and that all votes must be recorded in official minutes. The bill applies specifically to state employee groups advising on permitting decisions, not to all public meetings or other government bodies.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $2.25 million from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to the Neighborhood Development Center (NDC) to support small business programs. The funds will directly assist small businesses and entrepreneurs through training, lending, business services, real estate initiatives, and technical assistance - both within Minnesota’s seven-county metro area and outside it. The grant also covers one-on-one entrepreneur support and operations for a cybersecurity center. Unspent funds from the first year may carry over to the second year. This is a one-time appropriation with no further funding authorization.